Process of desulphurizing cracked hydrocarbons



Patented May 5, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFEfiE' GUSTAV EGLOFF, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T UNIVERSAL OIL PRODUCTS COM- PAN'Y, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA BROCESS OF DESULPHURIZING CRACKED HYDROCARBONS No Drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in process of desulphurizing cracked hydrocarbons, and refers more particularly to the desulphurizing of the cracked products such as gasoline and like constituents formed by the cracking process, so as to remove therefrom objectionable sulphurlcompounds, although inits broader aspects, the invention may not be limited to such particular-use.

In the cracking of petroleum oils, as for example, California petroleum containing sulphur compounds, it has been found that the gasoline produced by the cracking proc ess, contains in some instances as high as 1% of sulphur. Furthermore, that it is necessary to use as much as 25 pounds of sulphuric acid per barrel of gasoline, to remove the sulphur, and further, there is a line.

this is a very uneconomical operation. The" present invention is directed to avoid this expensive treatment, and also the high gasolineloss referred to.

In carrying out the invention, the cracked hydrocarbons preferably in vapor form, are subjected to the chemical action of regulated quantities of oxidizing gas preferably in the presence of a silent electric discharge. If desired however, the vapors may. be condensed and revaporized, although this would be in most cases, an unusual operation. Carrying out the invention, I take the cracked hydrocarbon vapors which may be at a temperature of say 500 F. more or less, as they leave the dephlegmator, and' pass them to asuitable still or other receptacle which may be externally heated or not, as 40 with the sulphur compounds present in the Application filed June 26,

treating loss of upwards of 20% of the gaso-.

the case may be. Here the hot vapors are subjected to the chemical action of regulated 1926. Serial No. 118,823.

gaseous mixtures, hence producing a substantially sulphur free gasoline condensate after the vapors pass through a water condenser.

This process may be carried out under a temperature condition of approximately 500 F. more or less, while passing in an oxidizing gas such as air upward of 10% of the hydrocarbon sulphur gas mixture, while simultaneously passing an electrical energy under a high voltage low amperage current.

The result of this treatment not alone brings about a desulphurizing action, but also polymerizes the unstable unsaturated hydrocarbons so as to eliminate gum forming constituents which may be present in the hydrocarbon sulphur gaseous mixture.

This system may be operated, dependent upon the refractivene'ss of the sulphur compounds present in the gases, under substantially vacuum conditionsas low as 5 millimeters, or under superatmospherio pressures as high as several hundred pounds to the square inch.

I claim as my invention:

The method of treating dephlegmated cracked hydrocarbon oil vapors as they leave the dephlegmator of an oil cracking apparatus, which consists in subjecting the hot vapors to the action of ozone in the presence of a silent electric discharge.

GUSTAV EGLOFF. 

